Many people avoid gluten nowadays- whether due to serious allergies or personal preferences. Recently the gluten-free trend has even made its way from food to cosmetic products. Meeting the demand for gluten-free skincare products can be challenging, but it’s not impossible. One solution: switch from using hydrolyzed wheat protein to hydrolyzed quinoa protein.
Originally harvested by the Inca, quinoa (pronounced keen-WAH) is a staple ingredient mostly due to its edible seeds. Primarily cultivated in the Andes, quinoa has been a vital source of nutrition and for 6,000 years has been revered as sacred due to its versatile use. Quinoa is considered a complete protein, containing seventeen amino acids, including all eight essential amino acids.
Quinoa is widely recognized as a natural and sustainable ingredient. Its powerful benefits are now being harnessed by cosmetic formulators to create hair care products that improve color retention, gloss, and combability. The combination of cationic and anionic amino acids create hydrolysis allowing opposing forces to attract and bind together. For example, cationic amino acids bind to the cuticle and act as an anchor allowing other ingredients to also bind to the cuticle such as colorants. Anionic amino acids form a barrier to protect the strands and the hair color. These barriers also give hair better overall health. hydrolyzed quinoa protein is not only gluten-free but also improves color uptake and retention in addition to increased shine and overall appearance of the hair.
Benefits:
- Improves color uptake for more concentrated color
- Helps enhance color retention
- Increases styling ease
- Improves style and body
- Enhances shine for healthier-looking hair
- Sourced from sustainable, non-GMO seed
- Gluten-free, vegan
Applications:
- Shampoos, conditioners
- Leave-on hair treatments
- Hair styling products
- Post-treatment hair products
- Products for shine enhancement
- Hair colorants
- Products for increasing body and definition
Formulation Guidelines:
- Add to water phase for gel products
- In case of emulsions, add hydrolyzed quinoa protein once the emulsion is formed at or below 104°F (40°C).
